A's, minus Céspedes, are off in 4-1 loss to Angels

Updated 11:49 pm, Friday, July 19, 2013

It was that kind of night for Coco Crisp, after a strikeout, and the A's.

It was that kind of night for Coco Crisp, after a strikeout, and the A's.

Photo: Harry How, Getty Images

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The Angels' Alberto Callaspo dives to tag out Eric Sogard at third base in the third inning - a call the A's disputed.

The Angels' Alberto Callaspo dives to tag out Eric Sogard at third base in the third inning - a call the A's disputed.

Photo: Harry How, Getty Images

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ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Brandon Moss #37 of the Oakland Athletics scores a run in front of Chris Iannetta #17 of the Los Angeles Angels to trail 4-1 during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) less

ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Brandon Moss #37 of the Oakland Athletics scores a run in front of Chris Iannetta #17 of the Los Angeles Angels to trail 4-1 during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July ... more

Photo: Harry How, Getty Images

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Photo: Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

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Los Angeles Angels' J.B. Shuck, left, scores on a double hit by Josh Hamilton as Oakland Athletics catcher John Jaso waits for the throw during the first inning of a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) less

Los Angeles Angels' J.B. Shuck, left, scores on a double hit by Josh Hamilton as Oakland Athletics catcher John Jaso waits for the throw during the first inning of a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in ... more

Photo: Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

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Oakland Athletics first baseman Brandon Moss misses a throw during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Oakland Athletics first baseman Brandon Moss misses a throw during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Photo: Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

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ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Jered Weaver #36 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) less

ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Jered Weaver #36 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by ... more

Photo: Harry How, Getty Images

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ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Eric Sogard #28 of the Oakland Athletics makes a throw to first for an out of Chris Iannetta #17 of the Los Angeles Angels to end the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) less

ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Eric Sogard #28 of the Oakland Athletics makes a throw to first for an out of Chris Iannetta #17 of the Los Angeles Angels to end the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July ... more

Photo: Harry How, Getty Images

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ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his strikeout in front of John Jaso #5 of the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) less

ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his strikeout in front of John Jaso #5 of the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2013 in ... more

Photo: Harry How, Getty Images

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin, right, adjusts his hat as Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols, background left, rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) less

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin, right, adjusts his hat as Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols, background left, rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball ... more

Photo: Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

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Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, left, high-fives relief pitcher Ernesto Frieri as they celebrate the team's 4-1 win against the Oakland Athletics after a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) less

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, left, high-fives relief pitcher Ernesto Frieri as they celebrate the team's 4-1 win against the Oakland Athletics after a baseball game on Friday, July 19, 2013, in ... more

Photo: Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

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Oakland Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson throws on the run to first base on a grounder by the Los Angeles Angels' J.B. Shuck in the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Friday, July 19, 2013, in Anaheim, California. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/MCT) less

Oakland Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson throws on the run to first base on a grounder by the Los Angeles Angels' J.B. Shuck in the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Friday, July 19, 2013, in ... more

Photo: Allen J. Schaben, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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A's, minus Céspedes, are off in 4-1 loss to Angels

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Anaheim -- Well, this was not how the A's wanted to open the second half.

Oakland, which went into the All-Star break with the best record in the division and the team's most wins before the break since 1990, didn't play particularly well in a 4-1 loss to the Angels - and the A's also lost their most talented player before the game.

Yoenis Céspedes, who won the Home Run Derby on Monday, was a late scratch right before first pitch Friday, left wrist soreness knocking him out of action. Manager Bob Melvin said that he does not believe that the injury is related to the Derby because Céspedes felt fine before batting practice, and it cropped up then.

Melvin said that Céspedes is day to day and that the team will have a better idea about his status Saturday after seeing how the wrist responds to treatment.

Through an A's spokesman, Céspedes declined to comment on the injury.

Céspedes has a history of hand and wrist injuries; he spent time on the disabled list this year and last with muscle strains in his left hand, and he had a right wrist sprain that bothered him in August and September.

So Friday's game was a bummer for the A's before it started, and then they had to contend with Jered Weaver. He continued to dominate the A's, pitching 6 2/3 shutout innings to extend his scoreless-innings streak against them to 24 2/3 . He's 7-1 with an 0.84 ERA against the A's since 2011.

In the first inning, Angels left fielder J.B. Shuck reached on an infield single and went to second on Josh Donaldson's throwing error. A.J. Griffin then walked Mike Trout on four pitches, and with one out, Josh Hamilton doubled to right to send in Shuck. Josh Reddick dived for the ball but couldn't come up with it.

"We looked like we've been off for a few days," Melvin said. "That's no excuse, because the other team was too. We looked a little out of sync."

Donaldson did make a fine play to end the inning, diving to his right for a hot grounder by Mark Trumbo, then making a long throw to first for the out.

Griffin allowed three homers, all solo shots, one by Albert Pujols with two outs in the third and another by Erick Aybar leading off the fifth. The final one was crushed to left-center by Trout, also in the fifth. Griffin has allowed 21 homers, tied for third-most in the league, and 16 have been solo shots.

"Guys who have really good command tend to give up home runs at times," Melvin said.

The A's had another forgettable moment in the fifth inning when, with two on and two outs, John Jaso was picked off first base by Angels catcher Chris Iannetta.

"I don't know what was going on in my stupid head," said Jaso, who is among the A's best baserunners. He believes that's the first time he's been picked off.

Oakland finally got on the board in the ninth. Brandon Moss singled and went to second on an error by Hamilton. Moss scored on a double by Chris Young, who replaced Céspedes in the lineup.

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